Nucleotide consists of

Options

A. `N_(2)` base only
B. `N_(2)` base + sugar
C. `N_(2)` base + sugar + phosphate
D. Sugar + Phosphate

Answer

To answer the question "Nucleotide consists of," we can break it down step by step:

### Step 1: Define a Nucleotide
A nucleotide is the basic building block of nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA. It serves as a monomer that links together to form polynucleotide chains.

### Step 2: Identify the Components of a Nucleotide
A nucleotide is composed of three main components:
1. **Nitrogen Base**: This can be adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), guanine (G) in DNA, and uracil (U) in RNA.
2. **5-Carbon Sugar**: This sugar is known as pentose sugar. In DNA, the sugar is deoxyribose, while in RNA, it is ribose.
3. **Phosphate Group**: This group consists of a phosphorus atom bonded to four oxygen atoms and is crucial for linking nucleotides together.

### Step 3: Combine the Components
When we combine these three components, we can conclude that a nucleotide consists of:
- One nitrogen base
- One 5-carbon sugar (pentose sugar)
- One phosphate group

### Final Answer
Therefore, the correct answer to the question "Nucleotide consists of" is:
**Nucleotide consists of nitrogen base, sugar, and phosphate.**